Barrel-follower.



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C. KUHEIM.

BARREL FOLLOWER.

APPLIOATION rILBD 0oT.15. 1906.

.Mmm

PATENTED NOV. y12, 1907.

CHARLES KUHEIM, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

BARREL-FOLLOWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed October 15i 1906. Serial No. 338.936.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KUnErM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barrel-Followers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and t0 the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My present invention relates to a barrel follower, and more particularly to a followerfor barrels in which sauer-krant, pickles, preserving meats, ete. are kept, the object of myv invention being to provide a device for keeping the contents of a barrel in good condition by retaining them entirely submerged in the brine, my device being especially adapted for use where it is necessary to occasionally remove the follower to remove a portion of the Contents of the barrel or to test the mixture.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a device Whereby the follower may be operated in a full barrel or wherein the contents reach so near the top of the barrel as to afford no opportunity for contact of the follower parts with the inner surface of the barrel sides.

In accomplishing these objects I have provided the improved details of structure which will presently be fully described and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which,

Figure I is a perspectiveview of a portion of the barrel equipped with a follower' constructed according to my invention. Fig. II is a top plan view of same. Fig. III is a detail view of one of the gripping arm guides. Fig. IV is a longitudinal sectional view of a gripping arm, guide, and a portion of the screw block.

Referring more in detail to the parts,-l represents a barrel of a suitable construction, which is provided with a head 2, preferably formed in sections as shown. 3 is a base extending transversely across the top of head 2, in engagement with each of the separate sections, and preferably provided with a socket in which is seated the lower end of a screw 4, which screw extends through and carries a screw block 5. On block 5 are a number of lugs 6, to which are pivoted the channeled guides 7.

Fitting within each of guides 7 is ari arm 8, which extends outwardly and is provided at its outer end with an inturned lip 9, having a point l0 adapted to engage the outer surface of barrel l. Arm S is provided with a series of threaded perforations ll, and extending through the bottom of guide 7 and adapted to engage said perfo` rations are the thumb screws l2, by means of which said arm and guide are rigidly secured together.

When in use, the head of the barrel is removed, and its separate sections supported loosely on the barrel contents'with the base 3 in the position shown, or if desired, a separate head especially adapted for this pur-- pose provided. When the head is in position, the screw is seated on base 3, and the arms S which have been adjusted to the proper length, by means of thumb screws, are spread to permit the points to engage the outer surface of the barrel. By turning the screw in its block, the head is forced downwardly within the barrel, compressing the contents and creating an upward tension on the arms, which forces the points l0 into the barrel sides.

When it is desired to remove a portion of the contents, the screw is turned backwardly, and the arms removed t0 permit the head to be lifted out of the barrel. As the barrel is emptied, and the head sinks deeper therein, the arms may be shortened by sliding their shanks inwardly in the channel and securing the thumb screws in the outer perforations in the arm, or the hooked arms may be removed and others secured in the guides which may engage the inner surface of the barrel in the 1nan ner illustrated in my application for patent, filed December 2G, 1905, and serially numbered 293,202.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-

In a device of the class described, the combination with a barrel having' a removable head, of a screw block, a screw carried by said block und engaging' said head, arms carried by and projecting outwardly from said block with their free ends projecting over the barrel sides, and inwardly and upwardly turned hook members on the outer ends of said arms having pointed tips adapted to engage and anchor in the outer surface of the barrel, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES KUHEIM.

Witnesses:

A. M. MAXWELL, J. "'I. ALLBRITAIN. 

